Saturday is Virginia Tech’s final ACC road game of the season and if the No. 23 Hokies win at Duke, they should cruise into the ACC Championship Game as the Coastal Division champion against likely Atlantic champion Clemson. Duke is looking to play spoiler and enhance its very slim bowl chances but is an 11.5- point underdog in the college football odds.
When: Saturday, Nov. 5, 3:30 PM ET
Where: Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham, N.C.
TV: ESPNU
Opening NCAA Football Lines: Virginia Tech -11.5 (52.5)
Three Tech wide receivers topped 100 yards in the same game for the first time in school history. Isaiah Ford’s 10 receptions included his school-record 23rd receiving touchdown. Bucky Hodges caught six passes for 145 yards and a score and Cam Phillips added 109 yards on a night the Hokies piled up 556 total yards. Evans’ 2,461 yards of total offense already rank as the 11th-best seasonal total in VT history. He’s on pace for 3,999 yards over 13 games. The current mark of 3,500 yards was set by QB Tyrod Taylor in 2011.
Duke hasn’t been an easy out for Virginia Tech in recent seasons. The Hokies have lost two of their last three games vs. the Blue Devils, both of those losses coming at home. There’s always the chance of a letdown game against a struggling opponent.
“I think we have a pretty good reference point for ourselves earlier in the season. The last time everybody was patting us on the back and telling us how good of a job we’ve been doing, we went up to Syracuse and got smacked around,” said Virginia Tech Head Coach Justin Fuente. “I think that’s a pretty clear reference point for our guys, in terms of the preparation and the intensity of which we’ll have to play. The margin for error is very small.”
The Hokies are 39-3 (.929) in ACC play when scoring 30+ points, including a 20-1 (.952) mark on the road. VT has averaged 41.5 ppg in its six wins in 2016, scoring 30+ points in all those contests. Duke is 5-17 at home under David Cutcliffe when permitting 30+ points, including four straight losses.
Duke redshirt freshman quarterback Daniel Jones threw for 305 yards, becoming just the eighth Duke quarterback to have three 300+ passing performances in an ACC game. Jones’ five games with 200 or more passing yards are tied with Thaddeus Lewis (2006) for the most in a year by a Duke rookie quarterback. Jones recorded 378 yards of total offense, giving him the Duke freshman record for total offensive yards, surpassing Lewis’ 2,060 yards in 2006. Jones rushed for a single-game high 73 yards in the contest.
Duke lost more than just the game as senior running back Jela Duncan suffered a season-ending Achilles’ injury while celebrating a touchdown. Duncan had 450 yards rushing and six touchdowns in seven games this season for Duke. He had 2,025 yards rushing with 17 TDs for his career. On Duke’s all-time charts, he ranks sixth in rushing yards, sixth in rushing yards per attempt (5.37) and tied for 14th in rushing touchdowns. Duncan is the third captain this season to suffer a season-ending injury, joining quarterback Thomas Sirk and defensive back DeVon Edwards.
Hokies are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
Blue Devils are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss.
Blue Devils are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
Give the points and go over the total in online college football betting.
Here’s a Closer Look at the Virginia Tech at Duke Betting Pick & Odds & TV Info
When: Saturday, Nov. 5, 3:30 PM ET
Where: Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham, N.C.
TV: ESPNU
Opening NCAA Football Lines: Virginia Tech -11.5 (52.5)
Why Bet on Virginia Tech?
The Hokies won 39-36 at Pittsburgh last week. Tech QB Jerod Evans shook off a right ankle injury to throw for a career-high 406 yards and two touchdowns. Joey Slye tied the school and Atlantic Coast Conference records by making six field goals to help the Hokies (6-2, 4-1) beat the Panthers on the road for the first time in 17 years.Three Tech wide receivers topped 100 yards in the same game for the first time in school history. Isaiah Ford’s 10 receptions included his school-record 23rd receiving touchdown. Bucky Hodges caught six passes for 145 yards and a score and Cam Phillips added 109 yards on a night the Hokies piled up 556 total yards. Evans’ 2,461 yards of total offense already rank as the 11th-best seasonal total in VT history. He’s on pace for 3,999 yards over 13 games. The current mark of 3,500 yards was set by QB Tyrod Taylor in 2011.
Duke hasn’t been an easy out for Virginia Tech in recent seasons. The Hokies have lost two of their last three games vs. the Blue Devils, both of those losses coming at home. There’s always the chance of a letdown game against a struggling opponent.
“I think we have a pretty good reference point for ourselves earlier in the season. The last time everybody was patting us on the back and telling us how good of a job we’ve been doing, we went up to Syracuse and got smacked around,” said Virginia Tech Head Coach Justin Fuente. “I think that’s a pretty clear reference point for our guys, in terms of the preparation and the intensity of which we’ll have to play. The margin for error is very small.”
The Hokies are 39-3 (.929) in ACC play when scoring 30+ points, including a 20-1 (.952) mark on the road. VT has averaged 41.5 ppg in its six wins in 2016, scoring 30+ points in all those contests. Duke is 5-17 at home under David Cutcliffe when permitting 30+ points, including four straight losses.
Why Bet on Duke?
The Blue Devils (3-5) come off a 38-35 loss to Georgia Tech. Duke overcame a 21-point halftime deficit to take a 35-31 lead with less than nine minutes left in the game. But a 21-yard touchdown pass from\ Georgia Tech quarterback Justin Thomas to running back Clinton Lynch with 5:38 left keyed the Yellow Jackets’ victory. Duke had a chance to get the ball back late in the fourth quarter when it forced a 3rd-and-17, but Thomas escaped the pocket and cut upfield for 50 yards to seal the win. On each of their scoring drives, the Yellow Jackets had a play that went at least 20 yards as the Blue Devils had little success against Georgia Tech’s triple-option scheme.Duke redshirt freshman quarterback Daniel Jones threw for 305 yards, becoming just the eighth Duke quarterback to have three 300+ passing performances in an ACC game. Jones’ five games with 200 or more passing yards are tied with Thaddeus Lewis (2006) for the most in a year by a Duke rookie quarterback. Jones recorded 378 yards of total offense, giving him the Duke freshman record for total offensive yards, surpassing Lewis’ 2,060 yards in 2006. Jones rushed for a single-game high 73 yards in the contest.
Duke lost more than just the game as senior running back Jela Duncan suffered a season-ending Achilles’ injury while celebrating a touchdown. Duncan had 450 yards rushing and six touchdowns in seven games this season for Duke. He had 2,025 yards rushing with 17 TDs for his career. On Duke’s all-time charts, he ranks sixth in rushing yards, sixth in rushing yards per attempt (5.37) and tied for 14th in rushing touchdowns. Duncan is the third captain this season to suffer a season-ending injury, joining quarterback Thomas Sirk and defensive back DeVon Edwards.
My Betting Pick
Hokies are 6-14- 1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record.Hokies are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
Blue Devils are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up loss.
Blue Devils are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
Give the points and go over the total in online college football betting.
